WICOMB FAMILY REUNION 2007 FEEDBACK

WICOMB FAMILY REUNION 2007

Dear Family

On behalf of the Eastern Cape Wicomb Family, we wish to express our sincere gratitude for the highly successful Reunion of May 2007.

We are deeply indebted to you for the mammoth task you had in making the Reunion the success it was. The huge amount of positives which came forth from this experience, is something we hold dear to our hearts.

In addition to the adult members of the family, our children had much praise for the occasion. And we are still talking of the good time we had.

We had an in depth discussion of the Reunion, and in addition to the praise for the Reunion, we also had a few suggestions and recommendations we would like to put forth. We trust that these points will be looked at in earnest, as we have, with the utmost sincerity, attempted to come to the fore with suggestions for the good not only of the Reunion, but for the family as a whole.

Find attached a note on “DISCUSSION ON WICOMB FAMILY REUNION 2007”, which we trust you will find in order.

Once more, thanks so much for the most enjoyable Family Reunion, and for making us part of a Family we can all be proud of.

May God Bless You All.

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Farouk Wicomb
(on behalf of Eastern Cape Wicomb Family)

WICOMB FAMILY REUNION
[EASTERN CAPE]

DISCUSSION ON WICOMB FAMILY REUNION 2007:

(1) The Reunion proved to be a huge success in many ways:
(a) The renewal of old family ties: Family with whom contact had been lost, met again after many years, sparking a renewed feeling of love and belonging.
(b) Family members who came for the very first time, and others who had met the family for the first time, found this experience very exciting, and vowed to attend the next one again.
(c) The younger members of the family found it extremely enjoyable, and posed the question: “Can’t we have it every year?” This sentiment stemmed from the fact that they:
(i) had the freedom to move around freely.
(ii) felt safe and secure.
(ii) met up with old family acquaintances.
(iv) met new family members.
(v) enjoyed the general set-up and environment.
(d) There was a good, pleasant atmosphere and this set the tone for good inter-mingling and getting to know each other better.
(e) The closeness that was evident, is a sure and positive sign and indication that we have come to know and understand each other better ------ our unique cultures, habits, mannerisms, character make-up, etc. Is this not one of the aims of our Reunion?

All of the above bodes well for the future, especially for our younger generation who have come to experience something new ----- finding new family connections, increasing and broadening their vision and views of life.

We are therefore duty-bound to create the opportunities for our youth to live this out to the full and thus develop a feeling of deep love and adoration for one another and for the family as a whole.

Through this we will easily succeed in building strong character in our children and so carry through the ethics and morals which our forebears so rigorously stood for.

(2) SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

(a) To encourage, expand and build on all the good that emanated from our past Reunion and previous ones, we need to consider having these Reunions more often and within a shorter space of each other. An interval of 3 years from one Reunion to another, is far too long. We should look at the possibility of 1 or 2 year intervals, or even as some of the youngsters said, “every year”. [The date of a Reunion should, in any case, coincide with a long weekend, which might not be available a certain year].
(b) Youth involvement: In order to sound out their views, opinions, thoughts and ideas, our youngsters need to get together and workshop, inter alia, the following:
(i) the do’s and don’t’s at our Reunions.
(ii) their wants, needs and choice of activities for the Reunions.
(iii) how they can be part of the organizing aspect before and at the Reunion.

This could be done either:
(i) before the Reunion in every province or
(ii) jointly, before the Reunion, at one centre or
(iii) at the Reunion (which might be a bit late, as events need to be organized before-hand).
(c) There is an abundant supply of talent available in the family, and this should be exploited and displayed in the form of a Concert. Each province could be requested to prepare a few items like singing, acting, games, etc
(d) All members who have made bookings or paid for chalets, and day visitors, should be issued with a Ticket or Voucher, which has to be produced at the gate on arrival. Should it be necessary for anyone to pay at the gate, then this could be arranged if numbered tickets are left at the gate. This could ensure that near-correct numbers are obtained so as to obviate the possibility of under-catering for meals.
(e) Seating at the Hall: Because it is very cumbersome, awkward and maybe difficult to carry or transport chairs to and from the Hall, consideration should be given to hiring of chairs. This expense could be built into the hiring fees of the chalets.
(f) It should be brought to the attention of the Spa’s authorities that the hot water pool outside needs proper lighting, as it is dangerously underlit.
(g) A Register of all those present at Reunions should be filled out, to form part of our possible “Wicomb Archive”.
(h) A Data base of Names, Addresses, Name of Parent and Contact Details of all family members in each centre(province), should be set up and placed on the Wicomb Website.
(i) An enlarged Family Tree should be fixed onto the wall as was done with the photographs.
(j) We should consider the establishment of a Wicomb Trust Fund for the purpose of serving the Wicomb family in, inter alia:
(a) Education.
(b) Investment: Acquisition of property e.g. a smallholding, or farm, or an established entity like the Calitzdorp Spa, etc and develop such property.
(c) Subsidising our elderly families at Reunions.

[Once this idea is accepted in principle, the mechanics and legalities can be worked on]
(k) When suggestions are made, ample time should be given for everybody to ponder about these, stretch their thoughts and imagination, share ideas, discuss and then come up with decision/s:
(a) after discussions in each province.
(b) at Reunion.

This is to ensure that everybody has a chance of pooling ideas, which does not easily come to the fore in a crowd.
(l) We should try to find ways of making it possible for the family to meet other members of the family at the Reunions. It seems that members tend to stick to only the family members they know well, forgetting that our purpose is to meet and get acquainted with all family circles.
(m) Use of Alcohol: There have been reports of some of our youngsters having been under the influence of alcohol. This has had some negative effects on some of our kids, who had apparently been confronted by such tipsy youngsters with comments and actions that are simply filthy and not conducive to good family morals. These incidents were apparently experienced at the Hot Pool at night. This aspect needs serious consideration which we need to rectify at our next Reunion.
(n) Family Emblem: Because there is no certainty that the Wycombe badge is that of our Wicombs, we should consider designing our own one. Each design on an emblem normally depicts some meaning. We have many talented, artistic members in our family whom we could request to come up with some design.
[Using something which does not belong to us, could become a legal sorepoint of plagiarism].
(o) A joint meeting of representatives of all 3 centres(provinces) ---- Western, Eastern and Southern Cape, should be arranged over a weekend (before the next Reunion).

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Farouk Wicomb
(on behalf of Eastern Cape)